Fast pace continues for WNY auto sales

The early predictions that this may be one of the strongest years in recent memory for local auto dealerships is proving accurate, with sales continuing on an upward pace.

According to statistics compiled by the Niagara Frontier Automobile Dealers Association, auto sales in February rose 2 percent and, for the first two months of the year, are up 13.4 percent. In hard numbers, regional auto dealers reported 4,300 new vehicle sales last month compared with 4,212 for the same period last year.

Combined January and February sales figures show that 7,964 new vehicles were sold this year compared with 7,022 in 2012.

While auto sales typically in spike in February just after the annual dealer’s auto show ends, officials say this week customer traffic in most area showrooms is busier than usual.

“There’s a lot of factors,” said Paul Stasiak, Niagara Frontier Automobile Dealers Association president. “It seems like everything has hit at the right time.”

Among those reasons: low interest rates and pent up demand.

“The cost of borrowing money is very inexpensive,” Stasiak said. “That matters for the consumer.”

With most major brands, auto sales spiked in February.

For instance:

• Ford, which is sold at 14 area dealers, reported 1,166 new vehicle sales in February, compared with 935 last year. That’s a 24.7 percent increase in sales.

• Buick, sold at eight area dealers, saw a 38.1 percent increase in sales between last month and February 2012. In hard numbers, the region’s Buick dealers sold 181 new vehicles in February, compared with 131 last year.

“Across the board all the GM dealers had a solid month,” Stasiak said.

Chevrolet does not report sales figures to the association.

• GMC trucks, sold at five local dealerships, reported a 57.4 percent increase in sales, rising to 263 last month from 167 new vehicle sales in February 2012.

• Mercedes Benz reported a 28 percent increase in sales to 40 transaction last month from 28 new vehicles sold one year ago.

• Volkswagen, sold at three area dealers, saw a 7.2 percent increase in sales to 103 last month from 96.